Cabinet



March 2 1943. c. HUENLICH (}ABINET Fi1ed Jan. 7. 1941 Patented Mm. 2, 1943 CABINET Charles Huenlich, Bloomfield, N. J. assignor to Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, West Orange,. N. J. a, corporation of New Jersey Applicationlanuary 7, 1941, SerialNo. 373,381

11 CI2tims.

This invention relates to cabinets' am); more particularly 130 improvements in cabinetsfor correspondence, memoranda. or other papars. While my invention has particular utility; and is herein illustrated and described, in connection with -a cabinet for a phonographic dictating machine, it will be understood that no unnecessary limita.tion of my invention to such a cabinet is intended.

Cabinets for dictating machines have been provided with interior containers for correspondence, memoranda 01' other papers such as may relate 1:0 the subject matters to be dictated. These containers a1e very desirably mounted so that they may be readi1y removed from the cabinet in order to permit ready access 130 and handling of the entire contens of the container. The removal, anal installation, of the container from and into the cabinet is preferably made by way cf the cabinet opening through which access is haol 120 the interior of the container, the containerbeing typically supported in 1ine with the cabinetopening to permit its ready removal from the cabinet. The side of the container adjacent the cabinet opening is thus removed to permit insertion 015 papers into the container; the wa1ls. cf the container, when the same is in mounted position, may 110W- ever not extend to the edge of the cabinet openingfor example, in order to permit the use of a closure for the cabinet opening Which may move inwardly of the cabinet into open position. Particularly in such arrangements there is ehe possibility that papers, as they a.re inserted in the cabinet opening, will not suitably enter the container and will therefore become misplaed with a resultant inconvenience and loss of time tothe operator of the machine.

It is an object of my invention to provide the container With movable means Which is positionable to effectively guard against such misplacement as is above mentioned.

I1; is another object to control the positioning cf this movable guard means so that bhe same will not interfere with the removal and installation of the container from and into the cabinet.

It is a further object of my invention so fulfill the above-stated objectives with a, form of coutainer which will permit ready 'inspection of the contents thereof when the container is removed. To this end there is preferably employed a container in the form cf a. tray. T0 prevent papers as they are inserted into the cabinet opening from becoming misplaced in-as through the same sliding over the sides, particularly the back, of the tray-the tray i s provided with a suitable guard attachment.

It is another object to provide the tray with movable means biased to releasably hold thecohtents of the tray therein while the tra.y is remove from the cabinet.

It is another object to fulfill the above-stated guarding andh'olding functions both by means of a 1mitary attachment onishe tray.

It is a further object to control' this attachment t-o efiect its respective functions in response installinganal removing the tray into and from the cabinet.

Afurther object is so causethis attachment be held in constrained position, wherein the same is efi6ctive to fulfill its guarding function, through a biasing of the tray into its mounted position in the cabinet.

A still further object is 130 provide a iurther guard means which Will efiectively cooperate With the guard means of the correspondence container when the closure for the cabinet openingis in open position.

Other and allied objects of my invention will more fully appear from the following description and the appended claims;

In the description of my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing of which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section Cf a cab-inet embodying my invention, a lower portion of the cabinet being, however; shown in full;

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the correspondence container shown in Figure l.

The instant; invention is illustratecl in the accompanying figuresin connection with a cabinet I for a commercial phonograph of the dictating-machine type. Thiscabinet has upper anal lower portions fitted together as a1; 2. The

upper cabinet portibn, which typically houses the phonograph unit (not shown). comprisesa closure section 3 having a fr ontopening 4 closeable by means of a, cover 5. The cover5 is' provided ab its sides with support arms which are pivoted to the sides of the closure section 3,

the1e being for instance on the left side oflthe machine the arm 6 pivoted as a1; l to the side of the closure section, as shown in Figure 1. The lower cabinet portion serves principally as a place for the storage of materials used in connection with the phonograph. The bottom part of this lower ca binet portion is, for example, usually arranged*to form a compartment 8 for the storage of phonograph records; access to the interior of which is ha'd' by way of a front door 9 011 ehe cabinet. In the. presentcase, the space between the upper cabinet portion andthe compartment 8 is used forthe storage of correspondence o1 other papers,.the containing means for which is now descflbed in detail The container for such corresbondence 0r other papers ispreferably providedin the form of a tray I0 made for example of sheet' metalivith open top and. front.sides. The t'ray is mounted within the cabinet preferably a position wherein the same inclines downwardly from front;

side Walls. The angle irons are carried at their rearward ends by brackets I3 and at their forward ends by a bracket I4 which extends laterally along the front Wall of the cabinet, the

lugs suitably secured to the walls cf the cabinet as by welding. The tray I rests slidably on the angle irons II and I2; and, in"View of the downward inclinat'ion of these angle irons, the t"ray is biased. inwardly by its own Weight into a fu1ly mounted positionWvherein it bears against the' back wa1l of the cabinet. I

Access 130 the interior of the tray IQ from the outside is had through an opening I in the front Wall of the cabinet. This opening is preferab1y made large enough 170 permit the tray to be passed therethrough from and. into the cabinet, the Opening extending laterally across ehe front of the cabinet and upwardly from the bracket I 4 to a height somewhat greater -than tha of the tray. T0 facilitate handling of the tray p&rticularly the rer'noval of the tray from the cabinet, there is provided a finger'-hole I5 inthe bottom cf the tray near the open end thereof, as shown in Figure 3.

The opening I5 is provided With a closure I'I which is arranged. 130 open inwardly of the Cabinet. The mounting for the closure comprises a pair of arms extending rearwz'zrdly of the closu-re and pivoted at their ends 120 the side Walls 0f the cabinet, there being for instance the lef1; arm I8 pivoted tothecabinet as a1: I9, as shown in Figure 1. When the closure is in closed position, it seats onthe bottom edge I5 0f the cabinet opening, and forms anoverlap joint With the top eclge of the cabinet opening as because of an ofiset I'I provided in the upward portion of the closure. Whenthe closure is in open position, it overlies the tray and is hidden from view, as shown in Figure 1.

II; will be seen in the structure above described tha t the use '0f a correspondence container in the form of a traythatis without a topniakeS the problem much easier of insuring that'papers, as.they are inserted in the cabinetopening I5, will suitably enter the containen There is however the possibility of papers becoming misplaced and lost, at least temporarily, by way of the same sliding over the backof the tray and falling down into the bottom of the cabinet. To

overcome the possibility of such misplacement of the. papers, there is pivoted on the back of the tray a guard member'2fl. 'I'his guard member suitably comprises a, wire ben's substantially in the form of a double U, as seen in Figure 3; the ends of the guard member are however bent outwardly to pivotally engage. the brackets 2I provided. a1: the top of the back Wall cf the tray, and the cehtral portion of the guard member is extended to form an arm2fl which projects down over the back of the tray. When the tray is in mounted position within the cabinet, this arm 20" bears against the back wall of the cabinet and serves to holdthe guard member in efiective position-that is, in an upwardly inclined position wherein the tip of the g.ard member is, for example, at a distance above the bot-' t om of the tray which is somewhat greater than the height of the cabinet opening I5. As so 'moved upwardly into eifective position on1y as the tray 1's restored to fully mounted position 10 brackets I3 and I4 each having turned-downwithin the cabinet.

' II; is a feature of my invention to use the guard member above described also as a means I:o releasably hold the contents of the tray in p1ace while the tray is removed from the cabinet-that is, the"guard member is used as a paper Weight.

Whil the weight of the guard member may in itself be suificient to fulfill this function, I preferab1y bias it down against the bottom of I;he tray by means 01" a torsional spring 22 coiled. about the guard member and hooked thereon a1: one end and to the tray ab the other end. 'Ihus, as the tray iS removed. from a fully mounted position within the cabi'net to an extent sufficient 1:0 free the arm 29" from the back wall of the cabinet, the member 20 becomes operative I0 releasably hold the contents of the tray in place, but as the tray is restored to mounted position the member is rai sed into an upwardly inclined position wherein it is effective so fulfill its guard function above described. In view of the downwardly inclined position in which the tray is mounted, the weight of the tray is efiective to hold the same in a fully mounted position against the force which the arm EI! will exert againstthe back of the cabinet.

In order to prevent a misplacement of papers through the cabinet opening I5 over the top cf the guard member 20 the closure I'I is provided with inward projection 23 which is adapted to cooperate with this guard member when the c1si1re is in open position. For instance, when the closure is open the projection 23 is held in a dowriwardly inclined positi0n above the tray and. to the front of the guard member 20 with the extremity thereof terminating at a level slightly below the tip of the guard member, as shown in Fieure 1.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in terms of a single preferred embodiment, it Will be understood that this embodiment is illustrative and n0t limitative of my invention as the same is subject to many changes and modifications without departure from the scope 0f my invention, which I erideavor to express according to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a structure comprising a cabinet having an opening therein: the combination of a container removably mounted in said cabinet, said opening serving as a passageway through which correspondence 0r other papers may be placed into and Gut Qf the container; means movably connected to saig container for movement from the container into an outwardly projecting position wherein I;he same is effective as a guard against a misplacing of papers through said opening in relatiun to the container; means for urging said guard means downwardly; and. means cdnnected with said guard means and cooperting with the cabinet against the action of said urging means for causing the guard means to be held in said outwardly projecting position while said container is in mounted position.

j 2. In a struizture cbmprising a cabinet having an opening therein: the combinati on cf a cont ainer mounted in said cabin et and adapted be removed from and installed into said cabinet through said opening, the opening also serving as a passageway for correspondence or other papers 130 and from the interior of the container when the same is in mounted position; a member on saicl container movable into an outer position wherein the maximum distance of the member from the side of the container opposite the memher is greater than the corresponding dimension of said cabinet opening, said member serving when in said unter positicm as a guard against a misplacing of papers through said opening in relation to the container; and means to cause said guard member to be moved to said outer guard position as the container is placed int m0unted position within the cabinet and to be moved towards the container within the dimensions of said opening as the container is removed from mounted position.

3. In a structure comprising a caoinet having an opening in a side wa1l thereof: the combination of a tray movable through said opening into and out of a mounted position in said cabinet, said opening also serving as a passageway through which correspondence or other papers may be placed into and removed from seid tray; a member movably connected to the back portion of said tray; and means, actuated automatically in response to the movement cf said tray int-oits said mounted position, for moving said member into an upwarclly inclined position wherein the same is efiective to guard against a misplacing of papers over the back of the tray.

4. The structure as claimed in claim 4, furner including a closure for said opening movable inwardly of the cabinet into an open position wherein the same is above said tray; and means moved With said closure, in the opening of the 1atter, into a cooperating relationship with said guard member wherein 130 prevent a misplacing cf papers through said opening over the top of the guard member.

5. In a structure comprising a cabinet havingan opening in a side wa1l thereof: the combination of a tray movable through said opening into and out of a mounted position within said cabinet, said opening serving as a passageway through which correspondence or other papers may be inserted into and removed from a mounted tray; a member pivoted. to the back portion of the tray and biased to bear against matter contained therein to hold the same in place; and means to move said member into an upwardly inclined position out of the tray as the tray is placed into mounted position within the cabinet.

6. In a structure comprising a cabinet having an opening in the front side Wall thereof: the combination of a tray removably mounted in said cabinet at said opening, the opening serving as a passageway through which correspondence or other papers may be irmerted into and removed from said tray and through which the tray may be removed from the cabinet; a member pivoted to the back portion of the tray and biased against the bottom thereof to bear against matter contained therein whereby to hold the same in platze in the tray; and a rearward extension on said member bearing against the back wall of the cabinet when the tray is in mounted position for holding said member in an upwardly inclined position, said tray being movably mounted in a downwardly inclined position whereby the weight of the tray will normally retain the tray in mounted position andsaid member in its said raised position.

7. In a cabinet structure provided With an dpening: the combination of a tray mounted in said. cabinet and removable therefrom through said opening, said opening serving as a passageway for inserting papers or the 1ike into said tray; and a member pivoted to the tray having one part overlying the tray and another part overhanging the tray, said other part being adapted to impinge against a Wall of the cabinet as the tray is installed into the cabinet through said opening and to cause said one part to be i noved into raised position wherein it serves to guicle the papers into the tray.

8. In a cabinet of the character described: the Cembination of a container in the cabinet for papers 01' the 1ike, said cabinet having an opening through which the papers may be passecl and through which said container may be removed; and a wire member pivoted 130 said container and including a main part overlying the container and biased theretowards and a secondary part overhanging the concainer and impinged against the Wall of the cabinet as the container is installed into the cabinet, the impingement of said secondary part against said wall serving to move said main part into a raised position wherein the same is effective to guide the papers from said opening into said container.

9. In a cabinet structure having an opening in the side Wall thereof: the combination cf a nontainer removaoly mounted in said cabinet ab said opening, said. open'mg serving as a passageway through which corresponclence er other papers may be, placed into and removed from said 0011- tainer; a movable member on said container adapted to direst Ehe papers, which are passed through said opening into the container, said mernber being urged inwardly of the Container into inefi"ective positicn; and means, coacting with the cabinet when the conainer is in mounted position, to hold said member in effective position.

10. In a cabinet structure having an opening therein: the combination of a container removab1y mounted in said cabinet, said opgning serving as a passageway through which correspondence or other papers may be placed into and. removed from the container; means movably connected 120 said container and adapted to be he1d in an outwardly projecting position, in lrelation to the container, wherein the same is effective as a guard against a misplacing of papers through said opening relative the container; means to move said guard means into effective position in response to mounting the tray in the cabinet; a closure for said. cabinet opening; and means on said closure adapted to cooperate with said guard means when the closure is in open position.

I1. In a cabinet structure having an opening therein: the combination of a tray removably mounted in said cab-inet in position to receive correspondence or other papers by way'of said opening; a movable member on said tray biased downwardly to retain the papers in the tray when the tray is removed; and means operatively interposed between said member and the cabinet when the tray is in mounted positionyfor holding said guard member in a raised position wherein the same is effective 110 direct the papers into the tray which are inserted into said opening.

CHARLES HUENLICH.

CER' TIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent N0. 2512,907. March 2, 19L;5.

CHARLES HUENLICH.

It is hereby certified tl 1at error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered paitent requiring correction s follows: Page 5, first column, line 5lp, for claim Lp" read --claim 5-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the Same may confonn to the record of the case in the Patent9ffice.

Signed and sealed this 9th day of' November, A. D. 19h}.

Henry Van Ar sdale (Saal) Acting Gommissioner off Pti its. 

